


when all of your tears dry…

by Glowbug



Category: X-Men (Comicverse), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Powers, And how, Canonical Character Death, Child Death, Drowning, F/M, Remy decided to fix that, Rogue is like 12 in chapter 1, Rogue's first kiss is destined never to end well…, Rogue's never gotten any flowers, Valentine's Day, and 17-18 in chapter 2, not Evolution, tangentially related drabbles, those silly flower-delivery fundraiser things they have in high school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 15:57:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18553018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glowbug/pseuds/Glowbug
Summary: A couple bits and pieces for what's probably going to be a no-powers high school AU.





	1. prologue: swimming hole

It was a muggy, moonlit night when Anna Marie snuck down to the river to meet Cody at the old swimming hole.

“You’re late,” he said when she came ‘round the bend. “Thought maybe you got skeered.”

“I’m here now, ain’t I?” She plopped down beside him. “Reenie hears every li’l bug crawlin’. She ain’t asleep, I cain’t go _nowhere._ Skeered,” she added with a pout, “has got _nothin’_ to do with it.”

Cody smiled that full-moon smile. “You really _ain’t_ skeered of nothin’. Guess that’s why they call ya ‘Rogue.’”

He was wrong, she was scared already. Not of swimming though. Not of her mamas. More of the way her insides felt, like melty warm chocolate, when Cody reached out and squeezed her hand.

“C’mon,” he said. “I’ll show you the swing.”

They ran down the path hand-in-hand until it was too narrow, then Rogue followed right on Cody’s tail to the big tree on the riverbank. Someone had hung a rope up there ages past and tied a board on it six feet up for a footrest. Cody grabbed the rope and scrambled up to a low branch of the tree.

“Watch this,” he said.

She stood back, heart jumping into her mouth, as he climbed on the board and pushed off _._ The swing flew out over the bend of the river. Cody let go and fell into the water with a _splash._

She couldn’t help it—she shrieked and ran to the river’s edge. _“Cody!”_

A small blond head broke the surface of the water and laughed out loud. “C’mon in, Rogue! Water’s fine!” He waved.

Rogue looked back at the swing, then to Cody’s smiling face out in the river. He thought she wasn’t scared of anything. What would he think of her if she said no?

The swing had come back and dangled lazily by the tree. She grabbed it.

Two minutes later it was she who flew out over the river, suspended between earth and sky and it was terrifying but it was _wonderful,_ like it was the first time in her life she’d been totally free.

“Let go!” Cody shouted, and she did, and the river rushed up to meet her. She came up sputtering but then Cody splashed up beside her, and she treaded water and laughed.

“That was great!” she said. “Let’s do it again!”

He grinned. She grinned. Something fluttered in her chest.

“I knew it. I jus’ _knew_ you’d be brave enough to come here with me.” He was so close, wearing nothing but his swim trunks though of course they were both in water up to their shoulders. “You’re somethin’ special, Anna Marie.”

The current caressed her skin, cool and soft.

“Cody?” she whispered.

His mouth on hers tasted like Juicy Fruit. It felt a little weird but oh God she was going to treasure every piece of Juicy Fruit she ever chewed ever again, he was _kissing_ her, Cody really truly liked her and he was _kissing_ her!

He pulled away, whispered, “Anna?” and she kissed him back.

Then he broke into a smile even bigger than before, and so did she, and he said, “Race you back to shore?”

“Last one’s a rotten egg,” she said, and splashed him.

“Cheater!” he laughed as she kicked off. She heard him splashing behind her.

It was farther back than it’d looked from shore. Maybe that was why they weren’t supposed to swim down here; but Cody’d been here before, hadn’t he? With his brother. It was his special place, the swimming hole, and Anna could handle it just fine, thank you very much. Mama Raven hadn’t taught her breaststroke for nothing.

She was clambering up on the bank after not very much time at all. Cody wasn’t there yet. “Yer a rotten egg!” she crowed, and spun around.

The surface of the river rippled, smooth as molten glass.

“Cody?”

Maybe he’d dove underwater. Maybe he’d beat her after all and was hiding to surprise her.

When he got to shore, maybe she’d kiss him again.

Water dripped from her hair. Her swimsuit clung to her skin. The river burbled.

“Cody!” Rogue screamed. _“Cody!”_


	2. carnations

She found him straddling the stone bench, playing solitaire. All efforts to think of the perfect retort had failed; she defaulted to, “You’re gonna freeze your tail off, Swamp Rat.”

It earned her a quirked eyebrow and a sly half-smile. “Why, _chère,_ I’m touched by your concern.”

“Oh, for—I didn’t say _that.”_

The smile widened. “Happy Valentine’s Day to you too.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, about that. What the hell’s this?” She indicated the bundle in the crook of her elbow.

He cocked his head. “’Pears to be a dozen carnations.”

She planted her free hand on her hip. _“Remy.”_

Remy shrugged and grinned. “All right, you got me.” He ran a hand through his hair.“So… you like?”

She blushed. Whole dang classroom had stared at her, getting more flowers than Kitty and Jean put together. Jubilee and Amara had peppered her with questions about her “secret admirer” till she pretty near lost patience, but still… she’d been sneaking glances at the bouquet all afternoon.

“I’m gonna put ’em in water when I get home,” she admitted. “Someplace I can see ’em.”

The crinkle around his eyes warmed her right down to her toes. (So much for giving him hell for embarrassing her.) “I’m doin’ de same,” he said, and pointed. A single pink blossom poked out of his satchel.

She blinked. “You only got one?”

“Only one worth keepin’.”

_No way. He wouldn’t have—_

He winked.

It was burst out laughing or burst into tears. She chose the former. “Oh my God. Remy Lebeau, you’re such a sap—”

“You oughta talk,” he teased, and swung his leg over the bench to get up. “Don’t spread it around, eh? You gon’ spoil my reputation.”

They both laughed. Gently he took the bouquet, setting it beside his scattered cards, and wrapped his arms around her. She pillowed her cheek on his coat; even in February in Westchester, he radiated warmth.

_“Merci, mon coeur,”_ he murmured in her ear. _“Merci de me voir pour moi.”_

But that was what _he_ did—seeing her just for herself, making her laugh, making her insides go all melty like chocolate… She lifted her head and he was close, so close. He swallowed but didn’t move, like he was waiting for permission. Like he wouldn’t think a damn bit less of her if she pulled away.

So she kissed him.


End file.
